What science says about the benefits of homework

[HuckleB]

5. The home environment is huge.

I'm a PMHNP, and I work with kids, so that includes some kids with very real ADHD, as well anxiety and other developmental concerns, stable families make all the difference in the world in the outcomes I see. And, yeah, I spend a lot of time with high schoolers, trying to get them to assess how long it really takes to get the work done, and those who actually follow through on the homework I give them, find it isn't usually that long. Those kids can often adjust, and get out of the procrastination routine you describe, but it's not the majority of kids I see, that's for sure.

I do suspect that homework fails many kids, and doesn't do much for others. I have to fight my family anecdote, where both my spouse and I loved homework, and we have a 3rd grader who is in a school for kids who test into the proverbial 99th percentile. That means he's had a ton of homework since 1st grade. Since we had to supplement his school day in kindergarten with education at his level, at home, it wasn't much of a transition. In fact, it gives him much more time to play with neighborhood kids, play sports, and the violin. He has developed into being very independent on planning his homework and getting it done. In fact, he's frustrated with us because we often don't "check" his homework when he wants us to. But, I know he is an outlier. Talking to other parents every day, makes that very clear.

Oh, he challenges us in other ways, so we'll take this one.

Thanks for the awesome information!